mason



(No Model.) 4 SheetsShe'et 1.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE GUN.

No. 302,148. Patented July 15 (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE GUN. No. 802,148. Patented July 15, 1884.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

w. MASON; MAGAZINE GUN.

No. 302,148. Patented July 15, 1884.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Shet 4.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE GUN. N0. 302,148. Patented July '15, 1884.

N. PETERS. Fhom-Lilhcgnphar, Wauhingtcn. a. Q

- Urvrrnn rates PATENT @rrrcn.

-WILLIAM MASON, OF NEYV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VIN- CHFSTER REPEATINGARMS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MAGAZINE-GUN.

UPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 302,148,clatec'l July 15,1884.

(No model.)

f ctZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, M. MASON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new Improvements in Magazine Fire-Arms; andI do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

[0 and which said drawings constitute part of 6, a sectional side view showing the mechanism of the arm in the position of the withdrawn breechpiece and just as the receiver is to begin its ascent; Fig. 7, a longitudinal central section in the line of "the bore of the barrel; Fig. 8, a transverse section on line 00 .90 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a transversesection directly in front of the carrier; Fig. 9, a horizontal section of the front part of the receiver through the chargingopening; Fig. 10, a transverse section of the link L, showing its connections with the arms which move it; Fig. 11, a partial longitudinal central section through the breeclrpiece and carrier; Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, detached parts; Fig. 17, an inside View of the receiver with the mechanism removed; Fig. 18, a vertical central section of the same on line .2 a; Fig. 19, a longitudinal section of the receiver directly above the lever which moves it.

This invention relates to an improvement in magazine fire-arms, with special reference to the arm known as the \Vinchester Repeat ing Arm, and in which a longitudinallyguided breeclrpiece is operated by the trig-' ger-guard lever through a link or toggle connection, and the carrier arranged to be moved vertically up and down by the action of the triggerguard lever to transfer a cartridge received from the magazine to a position in rearof the bore of the barrel and forward of the open breech-piece, and so that asthe breechpiece is closed it will pass through the carrier and force the cartridge from the carrier into the barrel, the carrier then descending by the last part of the closing movement of the trigger-guard lever.

Heretofore this arm has been constructed for the use of the shorter classes of cartridges.

The object of my invention is to adapt the arm to employ the longer class of cartridges such, for instance, as United States forty-fives to seventies-without departing from the approved principles of the arm as heretofore constructed; and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts, as fully hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the frame or receiver, constructed at its forward end for the attachment of the barrel B; C, the magazine below it. At the rear the receiver is extended to form the upper tang, D.. Instead of making the receiver with side plates, as inthe usual construction, I make the sides close and provide a removable bottom or trigger-guard plate, E, which extends rearward and forms the under tang, F, and extends forward, leaving only a narrow space open at the front end of the receiver, as seen in Fig. 1.

G is the trigger-guard lever hung upon a pivot, to, and extending to the rear to form a handle, H.

I is the breech-piece. (Shown detached in perspective, Fig. 13.) Its forward face corresponds in shape substantially to the bore of the barrel. At its rear end is a cross-head,

1, which projects rearward, and is recessed at its rear end to form ears J J. The outer sur- 0 faces of this cross-head are parallel and run in guides to govern the longitudinal movement of the breech-piece, as hereinafter described. Between the two ears the forward end of one part of the toggle-joint is hinged 5 upon a pintle, b, extending through the ears and the part K, as seen in Fig. 7. The other part, L, of thejoint is hinged at the rear end of the receiver, upon a pintle, (Z, which extends through the sides of the receiver, and through the part L, as also seen in Fig. 7. The other ends of the two parts are hinged to each other zontal axial plane of the breech-piece, which is the strongest position of support.

In each side of the rear part or link, L, of the toggle is a groove, h. (See Fig. 10.) From the hub of the trigger-guard lever G a pair of arms, M, extend upwardone each side of the part Las also seen in Figs. .7 and 10. On the inner surface of each of these arms M isa stud, i, which enters and works in the grooves h of the part L, so that by throwing the lever G from the position seen in Fig. 1 to that seen in Fig. '6 the meeting ends of the two links are drawn downward, impartingv to'the breech-piece a rear longitudinal movement, and into the position seen in Fig. 6. Then, in returning the trigger-guard lever, the links are thrown up into their'extended position, as seen in Fig. 1, carrying with them the breech-piece into the closed position, and in that closed positionthestudst' on the arms M stand in substantially a direct line drawn from the pintle e to the pivot a, or a little forward of that line, and so as to firmly hold the breechpiece in its closed position.

The opening in the top of the receiver is provided with a cover, M, arranged to slide ward end this slideis connected to the breech- I 40 piece by teuons m m on the flanges n, whichlongitudinally in grooves Z on the inner sides of the receiver, as seen in Fig. 8. At its forsupported entirely by the frame in rear of the recess in which the carrier moves, and for such shorter cartridges this support is sufficient, but for longer shells some additional support near-the head of the cartridge is desirable; but

such support cannot be throughout the length of the movement of the brcech-piecethat is, the length of the space through which the carrier is to movebecause the chamber in the ,carrier which receives the cartridge from the magazine is wider than the opening in the carrier above. It will be remembered that the carrier is raised after the breech-piece has been drawn to the rear, and that the breech-piece passes forward through the chamber in the carrier. Then, after the breech-piece has reached its extreme forward movement, the carrier is thrown down; hence it is that the carrier must be open from the chamber which receives the cartridge upward, in order to permit it to be through the chamber, and this opening must be narrower than the chamber, first, to prevent the accidental displacement of the cartridge in the carrier; and, second, that the carrier as it ascends may strike the shell which was withdrawn bythe retreat of the-breechpiece and eject it from the barrel. It will be readily seen thatif the breech-piece were guided and supported through the whole length of the recess in which the carrier moves the car- .rier could not rise into its position in front of carrier and within the two extremes of the recess in which thecarrier moves.

It is for this purpose that the cross-head I is arranged a little distance back from the forward end of the breech-piece.

Oneach of the inner sides'of the-receiver longitudinal ribs r are provided, extending forward only to the forward end of the crosshead when the breech-piece is in its closed position, as seen in Figs. 2, 8, and 17, and rearward only to about the' same extent, or somewhat less than the length of the ears or cross-head. 1 Between these ribs r r the crosshead stands when the breech-piece is in its most forward position and moves freely therein, and so that when the'breech-piece is drawn to the rear the cross-head passes entirely froinand to the 'rear of these guides r r, so as to leave a space between the front end of the breech-piece and the guides, as seen in Fig. 6. Then, when the breech-piece is returned, the cross-head enters between the guides 9 'r as it approaches its closing position.. The

breech-piece rearward a little more than the extreme length of the cartridge to be employed, substantially as they do in the Winchester arm, and as to the position seen in Fig. 6, and in that position the grooves h in the link L, in which the studs on the arms M of the trigger-guard lever work, are in such relation to the pivot a, on which the triggerguard lever turns, that after the links havereached their extreme rear movementthe lever may be turned a little farther forward without effect upon the1inksthat is to say, the grooves stand at that time very nearly at a tangent from the are described by the studs on the arms M, and for the purpose of throwing up the carrier alter the breech-piece has been withdrawn and then, when the breech,- piece is closed, as seen in Fig. 1, the grooves h in the link L assume a tangential position to the studs on the arms M, so that after the breech-piece is closed an over motion of the triggerguard lever is permitted to throw down the carrier, substantially as in the Winchester arm.

The carrier P (shown detached in perspective, Fig. 12) corresponds in length substanthrown down after the breech-piece has passed links are of the required length to move the tia-lly to the extreme length of the cartridge to be used in the arm, its front or forward face at substantially right angles to the axis of the barrel, and so as to work against the forward face of the cavity in the receiver. The sides of the carrier are recessed, the recesses be ginning at a distance from the forward face of the carrier corresponding to the forward end of the guides r in the receiver, and so as to form vertical shoulders s,para1lel with the forward face ofthe carrier; and on the inner sides of the receiveris a vertical rib, t, distant from the front face of the cavity in the receiver corresponding to the distance from the front face ofthe carrier to the shoulders. The front end of the cavity in the receiver and the rib t therefore form guides between which the forward part of the carrier will run, and guide the carrier in its vertical movement. These guides are so near together that the carrier is not liable to be cramped in its vertical movement, as would be the case in so long a carrier were it guided by its extreme forward and rear ends, as in the usual construction.

Near the lower edge of the receiver, at the forward end and on each side, is alongitudinal groove, a, forming seats for the carrier-lever It. (This lever is shown detached in Fig. 17;) It is hung upon the same pivot,a,whichcarries the trigger-guard lever, substantially asin the \Vinchester arm, but in this case it is constructed with two arms, T Tone extending each side of the carrier-their forward end resting in the grooves a a of the carrier, as seen in Fig. 1. The lower part of the carrier in rear of the groove to is contracted, as seen in Fig. 12, to stand between the two arms of the lever, as seen in Fig. 1. On the hub of 'the trigger-guard lever is a shoulder, w, and

on the link K. is a corresponding shoulder, g, which the shoulder 10 on the guard-lever will strike as the lever approaches its extreme forward movement, and. after the breech-piece has been withdrawn to its extreme movement, and so that during the completion of the forward movement of the guard-lever, and after the shoulders 10 y have come together, the carrier-lever will be turned to the position seen in broken lines, Fig. 6, and raise the carrier to its up position, as seen in that figure. The rear portion of the carrier is of the full width of the recess in the receiver, as seen at 3 3, Fig. 12. The space between this rear part, 3, and the shoulder 8 corresponds substantially to the length'of the cross-head, including the ears J. The cavity in the receiver in which the carrier moves is greater than the width of the cross-head, as seen in Fig. 18, 4 4c representing the cheeks between the guides 1'1, and which correspond to the sides or cars of the crosshead. This rear portion, 3, of the carrier is constructed with a groove, 5, each side, which, when the carrier is in its up position, corresponds to the space between the guides r r, and so that they practically form a continuation of those guides r 1'; hence when the carrier is in its up position the breeclrpiece in moving forward passes through the recesses 5 in the rear part of the carrier into the position 'between the shoulders s and the said rear parts, as seen in Fig. 1, thus permitting the breech piece to engage with the guides r r be fore the carrier begins its descent. Above the recesses 5in the rear part of the carrier the opening in the top of the carrier is contracted, and is provided with a flange, 6, at each side, the space between these two flanges 66 being narrower than the cartridge or the chamber in the receiver. The body of the forward link, K, is made of a width (see Fig. 7) to permit these flanges to pass down after the breeclrpiece is closed.

The cartridge enters the carrier from the magazine in the usual manner, and is transferred by the rising of the carrier to a position in rear, and in line with the barrel, and forward of the breech-piece. Then, as the breechpiece is closed, it moves forward through the carrier, forcing the cartridge from the carrier into the barrel, the cross-head of the breechpiece passing through the recesses 5 in the rear part of the carrier to its position between its guides 1* 1' in the receiver. Then,when the breech-piece has arrived at its closed position, the carrier is moved down to its position to receive a new cartridge, as in the \Vinchester arm. Then, after firing, the breech-piece is again drawn back. The extractor 7, hung to the breechpiece upon the pivot 8, engages the rim of the exploded shell, or a cartridge, if it be not exploded, draws that shell rearward and over the carrier, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 6, the extractorhook 7 holding the cartridge upon a shoulder, 9, on the breechpiece, substantially as it does in the 'Winchester arm. Then, as the carrier rises, the flanges 6 thereon strike the under side of the shell near the head, causing its front end to turn upward, escape from the shoulder 9 below, and under the pressure of the extractor-spring 10 the shell is caused to fiy from the arm, as it does in the WVinchester arm.

The firing-pin ll stands centrally in the breech-piece; butinstead ofextending directly backward and in axial line with the barrel, as in the Vinchester arm, its tail 12 is elcvated above the axial line, and so as to clear the links, as seen in Fig. 11, and extcndsbackward to the hammer 13, as secii in Fig. 1, and so that as the breech-piece is thrown rearward the tail of the firing-pin will force the hammer to full-cock, as seen in Fig.6, and then pass on to its extreme rear position over the hammer, as also seen in Fig. 6, leaving the hammer at full-cock, and when returned, as seen in Fig. 1, will be in position to receive the blow of the hammer, and impart its force to the primer of-thc cartridge, as in the WVinchester arm. To withdraw the firing-pin, and also prevent its forcible contact with the primer when the breech -picce is closed, the forward link, K, is provided with one or more prongs, 14, (see Fig. 14,) and the firing-pin with corresponding mortises, 15, (see Fig. 15,)

IIO

in which the prongs 14 of the link work. (See broken lines, Fig. 11.) These mortises are of sufficient length to permit the firing-pin to be thrown forward, as seen in Fig. 11, so that it may project through the breech-piece to impart the blow of the hammer to the primer. When the trigger-guard is turned to withdraw the breech-piece, as the link K turns, the prong 14 strikes the rear of the mortise 15 in the firing-pin, and throws the firing-pin backward, as seen in Fig. 6, drawing the firing-pin point within the breech-piece and there holding it, because the prongs do not pass out of the mortises 15 in the firing-pin; hence when the breeclrpiece is returned the firing-pin is held back until the breech-piece is nearly closed. Then the'prongs pass forward in the mortises, leaving the firing-pin back away from the'primer until it shall be forcibly driven against the primer by the fall of the hammer.

On the under side of the breech'piece is a downward projection, 16, which, when the breechpiece is in its extreme forward position, as seen in Figs. 1 and S, overlaps the mouth of the magazine, and thus will serve as a 'stop to retain the cartridge in'the magazine, and when the breech-piece is drawnto the rear the rear cartridge in the magazine follows this downward projection 16 under the force of the magazinespring until the cartridge has passed into the carrier, so that the cartridge then in the carrier serves as a stop for the next cartridge until the carrier begins its ascent.

3 Then the carrieritself holds the column of cartridges in the magazine until the breech-piece is brought again to its closed position. When the projection 16 again comes to its position, it serves as a stop for the column of cartridges. Then the carrier may be dropped. In the lower part of the carrier a longitudinal groove, 17, is made, through which'this projection 16 passes in the forward movement of the breechpiece.

The usual spring,V, to act upon the triggerguard lever and upon the carrier-lever, is arranged to hold the said levers in their extreme positions, substantially the same as in the Winchester arm.

To charge the magazine while the parts are intheir normal condition, an opening, 18, is made through'the side of the frame near its forward end, at one side and in line with the magazine, as seen in Figs. 3, 4, and 9, and which opening extends a little to the rear of the front face of the carrier, as seen in Fig. 9. Through this opening the cartridge may be introduced directly to the magazine, and as each is introduced its head passes forward of the projection or stop 16 on the breech-piece; but, in order to make a clear passage into the magazine through this opening, it is necessary to cut away a portion of the carrier on that side, as at 19, Figs. 9, 11, and 12. To close r this opening a cover, 20, is provided. (Shown detached in Fig. 5.) This cover is hinged to y the receiver at its upper edge, as at, 21, the

axis of the. hinge on a line parallel with the receiver, and so as to turn outward and upward in opening, as seen in Fig. 4. On the inside of "the cover is a longitudinal projection, 22, which comes into line with'the inner surface of the magazine when the cover is closed, as seen in Figs. 4 and 9, and serves to prevent the cartridge-head from turning out of its path in its passage from the magazine to the carrier. -The rear end of this cover is recessed upon its under side, as at 23, (see Fig. 9,) and in the surface of the receiver in rear of and extending into the opening is a recess, 24, (see Figs. 3 and 9,) which serves as a guide for the point of the cartridge, so that by introducing the point of the cartridge into the recess21, and beneath the rear end of the cover the cover-will be thrown outward, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 4, and permit the cartridge to pass inward. Then, when the cartridge has been sointroduced, ahelical spring, 25, or other suitable spring, will serve to return and close the cover and hold it in its closed condition, the spring yielding as the cartridge is introduced, as before described. This helical spring 25, as here arranged, has one end fixed to the stationary pintle of the hinge and the other to the frame, as seen in Fig. 3an arrangement of spring well known. The side of the magazine next the opening is cut away, as seen at 27, to correspond to and form a continuation of the opening 18 into the magazine.

I have represented the breech-piece as at tached to the cover, so that after the breechpiece has passed to the rear beyond the guides r r it will be retained in its proper alignment by the said cover; but this alignment may be otherwise produced-as, for instance, the tail of the firing-pin may-work in. guides in the receiverand serve as the support for the breech-piece-say as in the Winchester arm; or, for another illustration, the length of the cross-head and its guides may be longer than head will enter before it passes from the guides r a", it only being essential that there shall be some device to guide and support the breechpieee after it shall have passed to the rear from the guides r r, and to insure its proper return into the guides.

I have not described the lock mechanism which is -shownin the drawings, as it is too well known to require particular description in this specification.

I claim- 1. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of the longitudinally-movable breech-piece constructed with a cross-head extending toward each side of the receiver, the said receiver constructed with guides between which the said cross head will stand when the breech-piece is in its most forward position, the forward end of Y the cross-head and the forward end of the guides in rear of the front face of the brcechpiece, and the rear end of said cross-head and guides forward of the rear end of the carrier, a guide for the breech-piece independent of said crossihead guides after the breech-piece shall have moved rearward to take the crosshead from its guides, with the carrier con structed with recesses upon its side corresponding to said cross-head and guides, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart a longitudinal movement to the breeclrpiece and vertical movement of the carrier, whereby the said recesses in the carrierwill permit it to pass the said guides in rising and escape the said cross-head in its descent, substantially as specified.

2. In a magazine firearm substantially such as described, the combination of the longitudinally-movable breech-piece constructed with a cross-head extending toward each side of the receiver, the said receiver constructed with guides between which the said cross-head will stand when the breech-piece is in its most forward position, the forward end of the crosshead and the forward end of the guides in rear of the front face of the breech-piece, and the rear end of said cross-head and guides forward of the rear end of the carrier, a guide for the breeclrpiece independent of said cross-head guides after the breech-piece shall have moved rearward to takethe cross-head from its guides, with the carrier constructed with recesses upon its side corresponding to said cross-head and guides, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impartalongitudinal movement to the breech-piece and vertical movement to the carrier, whereby the said recesses in the carrier will permit it to pass the said guides in rising and escape the said cross-head in its descent, the rear end of the carrier constructed with a recess upon each side corresponding to the said cross-head when the carrier is in its up position, and through which the said crosshead will pass in the closing movement of the bl68011-1)i606, substantially as described.

3. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of the longitudinally-movable breech-piece constructed with a cross-head extending toward each side of the receiver, the said receiver constructed with guides between which the said cross-head will stand when the breech-piece is in its most forward position, the forward end of the crosshead and the forward end of the guides in rear of the front face of the breech-piece, and the rear end of said cross-head and guides forward of the rear end of the carrier, a guide'for the breech-piece independent of said cross-head guides after the breech-piece shall have moved rearward to take the cross-head from its guides, with the carrier constructed with recesses upon its side corresponding to said cross-head and guides, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart a longitudinal movement to the breech-piece and vertical movement to the carrier, whereby the said recesses in the carrier will permit it to pass the said guides in rising and escape the said crosshead in its descent, the receiver constructed with a vertical guide near the forward end of the recess in the receiver, and the carrier with corresponding shoulders, whereby the receiver.

guides between which the said cross-head will stand when the breech-piece is in its most forward position, the forward end of the crosshead and the forward end of the guides in rear of the front face of the breech-piece, and the rear end of said cross-head and guides forward of the rear end of the carrier, aslide arranged in guides asa cover for the opening in the receiver, said breech-piece attached to the forward end of said cover, with the carrier constructed with recesses uponits side corresponding substantially to said cross-head and guides, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart a longitudinal movement to the breech-piece and vertical movement to the carrier, whereby the said recesses in the carrier will permit it to pass the said guides in rising and escape the said cross-head in its descent, substantially as described.

5. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of a longitudinally-movable breech-piece, a vertically-movable carrier, mechanism, substantially such as described, in connection with the triggerguard' lever, to impart reciprocating movement to the breech-piece, the lever It, hung upon the same pivot as the trigger-guard le ver, its two arms T extending, respectively, each side the carrier, and the carrier constructed with longitudinal recesses, within which the forward ends of said arms will work, the said lever constructed to engage with the trigger-guard lever in its two extreme movements, substantially as described.

6. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the combination of the longitudinally-movable breech-piece and mechanism, substantially such as described, for imparting longitudinal movement thereto, a carrier arranged in the receiver for vertical movement, said receiver constructed with a guide, and the carrier with a corresponding shoulder near itsfront end, a lever hung in the receiver below the breech-piece in rear of the carrier, and extending forward into connection with the carrier, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart to said lever an up-anddown vibratory movement, and a corresponding up-and-down vertical movement to the carrier, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the longitudinallymovable breech-piece, the two links K L, the one hinged to the breech-piece, the other to the frame, and the two together to form a tog- IIO gle, the trigger-guard lever in oonnectionwith the one part, L, of the toggle, whereby longitudinal reciprocating movement is imparted prongs 14, and the firing-pin with corresponding mortises,15, in which the said prongs work to retract the firing-pin, substantially as described.

8. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the opening for charging the magazine in the side of the receiver, substantially forward of the .carrier, with a cover hinged upon an axis parallel with the axis of the magazine,'and so asto'swing outward and upward in opening, and'the receiver constructed with a recess in rear of the cover, and so as to 20 permit thepoint of the bullet to enter beneath said cover, substantially as described.

9. In a magazine fire-arm substantially such as described, the opening for charging the magazine in the side of the receiver, substan- 25 tially forward of the carrier, withv a cover hinged upon an axis parallel with the axis of the magazine, and so as to swing outward and upward in opening, the cover provided with an inward projection, 22, extending into line 0 with the inner surface of the magazine, substantially as and for the purpose described. WILLIAM MASON. Witnesses: 1

DANIEL H. VEADER, ,L. H. DANIELS. 

